Dysport Vs. Botox – What’s the Difference?
Dysport was FDA-approved for use in the US on April 30, 2009. At last, we have options for injectable wrinkle treatment!
Both are the same product botulinum toxin A, a derived proteitn that works by relaxing targeted muscles. The Dysport protein is slighlty smaller so it works quicker.
Dysport and Botox are made by different companies, but they have the same basic structure and they work in the same way. There are some slight differences between the two:
1. Dysport “kicks in” a little more quickly than Botox. Botox usually takes effect after 5-7 days, while Dysport’s effects are noticable as early as 1-2 days after treatment.
2. Dysport and Botox “units” are not the same, so you can’t expect to have the same number of Dysport units injected as you had with Botox. The ratio of Dysport to Botox units is generally 2.5-3: 1 (2.5-3 times more Dysport units per Botox unit).
3. Dysport lasts at least as long as Botox does (3-4 months), but there have been some studies in Europre which show Dysport lasts longer than Botox. Some of our patients have reported that Dysport lasted longer for them then Botox, while other patients have reported that Botox lasted longer. Since Suddenly Slimmer Med Spa has both brands available, we suggest that patients try both brands and see which one works better for them. The beneficial effects of both Botox and Dysport can be prolonged, sometimes for quite some time longer than the ordinary four to six month duration, by suggesting that the patient undergo a series of three or four initial treatments, spaced at four month intervals. It seems that the continual presence of the Botox or Dysport in the muscle tissue during that period “teaches” so to speak the muscles of facial expression not to contract as actively as they did before treatment. It is this learned “lesson” that is believed responsible for the more prolonged response seen in many people, even after all the toxin has been metabolized away by the body.
